Judge Susan Criss is concerned that Dupuy could be a threat to others.

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Email from Susan Criss

I have been informed of the following:

A county court judge requested armed security for the afternoon of judges's meeting in January from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office due to concerns that County Court Judge Christopher Dupuy would act in a manner that threatened the safety of the judiciary.

County employees, family members of county employees, litigants and attorneys are expressing concern to those in authority, such as judges, the Sheriff, the District Attorney and to me that they are afraid Judge Dupuy will become violent and hurt or kill someone. Those expressing concerns include many I have known for decades who never expressed such concerns before recently.

Judge Dupuy has published remarks on facebook and made statements to his children about carrying and acquiring firearms including a rifle and handgun and concealing them in a zipped pocket in his jacket. I understand the District Attorney has a taped recording of Judge Dupuy's children discussing this.

Courthouse employees and attorneys are discussing numerous accounts of erratic behavior and mood swings. Media accounts are describing his behavior as bizarre.

I have worked for this county since 1986. Prior to that I came to the courthouse with my dad before I was even in elementary school when he and my aunts and cousins worked here. Never in my almost 52 years did I ever expect to have to write an email to elected officials asking how they intend to protect the public, the other elected officials and courthouse employees from a member of the judiciary.

Amazingly enough this is not even the first time I have had to approach those in authority to ask for protection for the Galveston County employees and the public and his own family from an elected official. That former elected official was ultimately prosecuted, was incarcerated and then charged again with violent crimes.

And in the end those in charge stepped up and did what was necessary to protect everyone from danger.

I never expected that circumstance to occur again my lifetime , much less only months later. But here we are. Everyone of us was entrusted by the citizens to do what is necessary to protect the people who come into this courthouse.

So now I ask those of you elected to govern what is being done to protect everyone?

GALVESTON - The veil of decorum that normally shrouds the judiciary at the Galveston County Courthouse slipped away again Tuesday as one judge accused another of posing a violent threat.

The email from state District Judge Susan Criss urged county officials to take action to protect others from County Court-at-Law Judge Christopher Dupuy. Criss said Dupuy could "become violent and hurt or kill someone."

The email to top county and courthouse officials led to an emergency meeting of the sheriff, district attorney and county judge, who were unable to find enough evidence to take action.

"I can't see where he has threatened anyone, I can't see where he has made any acts of aggression against anyone, at least at this point," Sheriff Henry Trochesset said.

Criss, however, wrote that Dupuy is a feared presence at the courthouse.

"County employees, family members of county employees, litigants and attorneys are expressing concern to those in authority, such as judges, the sheriff, the district attorney and to me that they are afraid Judge Dupuy will become violent and hurt or kill someone," Criss wrote in her email, provided to the Houston Chronicle by one of its recipients.

Dupuy responded via email: "Ah, Judge Criss. What a political nutcase and embarrassment. I think that completely sums up her ridiculous statements to you in six words. I wonder what her story would be if she was under oath and subject to perjury?"

Dupuy said he would file an ethics complaint against Criss for making knowingly false statements. Criss could not be reached for comment.

The email prompted District Attorney Jack Roady to call a meeting with Trochesset and County Judge Mark Henry. Roady confirmed that others had expressed concerns similar to those mentioned in Criss' email.

Facebook remarks

Criss said in her email that Dupuy had published remarks on Facebook and made statements to his children "about carrying and acquiring firearms, including a rifle and handgun, and concealing them in a zipped pocket in his jacket."

Dupuy unlocked his personal Facebook page to allow the Chronicle access. The only reference to a weapon was about a gun show in Houston "for my munchkins."

Criss' email also said that a judge asked the sheriff's office for armed security during a meeting of county judges at the courthouse in January because of concerns about Dupuy.

However, County Court-at-Law Judge Barbara Roberts said she had made the security request because all the judges would be in one place and "easy to take out," not because she feared Dupuy, who did not attend the meeting. "I'm not worried about Judge Dupuy at all," Roberts said. "I have a very cordial relationship with him."

Other courthouse regulars feel differently.

Attorney Tad Nelson said he asked the sheriff to appear at a hearing last week because he feared for his safety and that of his client.

"I was nervous about him being in there," Nelson said. "He scares me." The sheriff said several other attorneys expressed similar fears.

Trochesset said he searched the judge's bench for a weapon, finding none, before the trial at Nelson's request. The sheriff said he agreed to the search because it was a reasonable request, not because he believed the judge was a threat.

Trochesset said he ejected Nelson from the courtroom during the hearing at the judge's request.

Dupuy has clashed previously with Criss and other judges. Early last year he threatened to have a bailiff yank an attorney out of Criss' court for a scheduled appearance in his court. Criss retorted by email that attorneys believed Dupuy treated them with disrespect.

'Family court secrets'

Dupuy in October sent an email titled, "Investigation of Galveston County's Dirty Little Family Court Secrets," accusing Family Court Judge Janice Yarbrough of benefiting financially from her appointment of an associate judge. Dupuy never produced evidence backing up his allegations against Yarbrough.

Dupuy also raised eyebrows by citing Associate Family Judge Suzanne Radcliffe and a lawyer sharing her office for contempt. His ethics complaint that Radcliffe should not be a family court judge while practicing family law was upheld and Radcliffe resigned.

Roady previously confirmed that Dupuy was the subject of multiple complaints meriting criminal investigation. Roady asked the Texas attorney general to take over the investigations. Dupuy called the complaints politically motivated.

Dupuy has been accused of improper behavior since his election in 2010 in a Republican sweep. His controversial actions include phoning an attorney at home and threatening judicial consequences for calling the judge's wife to testify in a hearing. A judge fined Dupuy $7,500 in January 2012 for improperly trying to remove the judge overseeing a malpractice suit against him.